


Playing With Fire

by Tsubasa_Hane



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: F/M, episode rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-08 03:52:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16421900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsubasa_Hane/pseuds/Tsubasa_Hane
Summary: Starfire has fought some difficult battles since becoming a Titan. But now she must face her greatest foe yet: Kitten. Rewrite of DATE WITH DESTINY.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I began this story on Feb 29, 2004, when it was originally posted on FanFiction.net. The entirety of the story has been directly copied and pasted, with the exception of a few formatting alterations to accommodate AO3. 
> 
> This was one of my first Episode Rewrites, and the current oldest active of the series. It follows the closest with the original storyline, only tweaking certain scenes and character reactions while also adding hints of subtle comic references and embellishing on a backstory written long before later episodes of the series gave us canon origins.
> 
> I chose to cross-post it because (1) it's a great example of my earlier works, compared to those written later (2) I'm sure there are some people who will still enjoy reading it. Or may even enjoy reading it for the first time.

_The attack came all too suddenly, leaving behind nothing but scraps of floating debris in a matter of seconds. Not that she noticed, however; just moments after Koriand'r managed to haul her diminutive figure into the one-man escape pod, exhaustion finally overcame her. She slipped into a peaceful slumber, welcoming the only way she had to escape reality. It was the automatic self-launching unit that shut the pod hatch, propelling her into the vast regions of space._

_Seconds later, the Psion ship was caught in a fantastic explosion._

_At the time, were someone to look through the hatch window, they'd never be able to suspect her previous royal heritage. Cuts and bruises ran over nearly every inch of her skin, which held a telltale pale-orange hue. Unmistakably Tameranian. Her auburn hair was long and frazzled from not having been tended to in days. The clothes she wore were her only material possession, consiting of little more than strips of blood-stained, rough cloth wrapped around her chest and upper torso, held by a single strap over her left shoulder, as well as a matching mini-skirt and ankle bands._

_But there was no one to see her. She was the sole survivor of the brutal attack without ever knowing it had occurred. Not even the pirates who had fired upon them stuck around long enough to notice._

_They were primitive creatures, drifting around the cosmos in search of little more than amusement and necessary provisions. Life meant nothing to them. Yet, ironically enough, they may very well have saved Koriand'r's by providing the one and only opportunity to escape. Her body was worn from physical abuse, and her spirit, nearly broken. She had been the favorite amongst her captors, who delighted in her youthful looks and child-like naiveté._

_Now, she wished nothing more than to return home. Home to her mother and father. Home to her planet. Home to Tameran._

_What she didn't know was that the sheer force of the blast had knocked her navigation system off-course. The tiny ship wasn't heading back to Vega, as she'd programmed it to. It was thrown into the direct path of a more primitive galaxy, one light-years away from everything she held near and dear._

_The Milky Way._

*** * ***

_"What is it?"_

_"Not sure. Definitely not from this planet, I can tell you that much."_

_"Dude, I think we got that message when it fell from the sky."_

_The call had come in at around eleven o'clock that morning. According to the Jump City officials, some unidentified object had crashed into a large field just outside the populated area. Fearing a supervillain (or possibly extraterrestrial) attack, they called upon the local teenage superheroes for backup._

_Currently, the four of them stood on the outer edges of a relatively small crater, approximately twenty feet in diameter. A metallic pod lay in the center, originally smoking from the heat friction but cooled off considerably since. The concept of interplanetary visitors wasn't exactly unfamiliar territory with them—half the Justice League came from different planets—but this was the first time any of them had personally encountered such a situation._

_"Raven, can you get a mental reading on it?" Robin turned to the sole female member of the team, at an otherwise loss at what to do. "Scan for signs of life? Anything?"_

_The lavender-haired beauty's eyes glowed an eerie black for a moment before she nodded in confirmation. "There's definitely something inside…but whatever it is, its unconscious. Nothing to indicate hostility, though I can't be certain."_

_Taking that as his cue, Robin climbed over the edge and began a cautious decent into the heart of the crater. Cyborg and Beast Boy immediately followed, while Raven telekinetically floated herself down. It wasn't until they reached the pod that Robin noticed the small window. Flying dust and debris had scratched the surface beyond repair, though he was just able to make out the humanoid figure inside._

_"There's somebody in there!" he called to the others. "Cyborg, can you get it open?"_

_"Already on it."_

_Within seconds, the robotic teen found what appeared to be the hatch opening and ripped it apart. Galactic dust flew into the air as it sprung open, causing Beast Boy to erupt into a fit of coughing and temporarily obscuring everyone's view. No sooner did it clear, than they heard a low moan emit from the cockpit. Four pairs of eyes peered inside, simultaneously widening in horror as they caught a glimpse of the young girl's condition._

_"Is she…alive?" Beast Boy asked weakly, recoiling slightly._

_Robin moved to check for signs of life before realizing he had no clue what to check for. A second later, he received confirmation in the form of another low moan as she unconsciously turned her head._

_"She's alive, but badly injured." He stated the obvious, moving to gently lift her into his arms. "We need to get her back to the tower. Now."_

_* * *_

* * *

~Present Day~

* * *

"…what was that last part again?"

Only a few short years had passed since Robin first broke away from his mentor and took up the role as team leader of the Titans. In that time, he'd met some bizarre villains—more bizarre than anything he'd ever dealt with Batman in the past. Everything from technology-packed Sci Fi geeks, to ooze monsters, to real life horror film stars (if the attack of Raven's powers counted) had seen fir to grace him with their presence at one point or another.

But this? This was definitely a first.

" _Hi, Robbie-poo!_ " An image of a sixteen-year old blonde popped up in the upper right hand corner of the screen, waving madly at him and smirking. The screeching tone of her voice, alone, was enough to leave Robin grinding his teeth.

"Robin, who is this girl…and why does she call you 'poo'?" Starfire's voice ran out behind him, innocent yet accusing at the same time. He visibly winced, painfully aware that she was staring at him acutely.

_I wonder if_ he _ever had days like this._

" _'This girl' had a name, hun,_ " stated the vigorous teenager, as if it should've been obvious to everyone present. " _Name's Kitten. Meow!_ " she added for emphases.

Though she found the situation stranger than usual, Starfire's curiosity once again got the better of her. She cautiously floated up until she was eye-level with Kitten and asked, "This 'prom' you speak of…is some sort of duel, perhaps?"

Kitten stared incredulously at the alien girl for a few seconds before bursting into a fit of obnoxious laughter.

Starfire tilted her head to one side, confused. "I am sorry. Did I say something humorous?"

"It's not a duel, Star," Robin called up to her reluctantly, "It's a date."

"Oh…" She seemed to be taking in this new piece of information for a moment before turning back to Kitten, who had already calmed down. "But why would you wish Robin to take you to a piece of fruit?"

In spite of the circumstances, Robin had to stifle a bout of laughter at Kitten's expression. Obviously annoyed, the blonde smacked her forehead before glaring. " _Not that kind of date, you idiot. The other kind!_ "

Starfire's eyes narrowed considerably. Her English was well enough to know that she'd just been insulted, and Kitten's tone wasn't any better. "Listen here, you  _klebnorg undarnook_ ," her fists clenched in anger, "I do not know who you are, or what is it you are asking of Robin, but I will not allow you to—" any further words were immediately silenced as Robin grabbed her by the wrist, hastily pulling the fiery red head into the hallway.

"Excuse us for a moment." He called to Killer Mother and Kitten over his shoulder.

*** * ***

Once they were out of the monitor's view, Robin halted in his steps and turned to face the young Tameranian. Her eyes considerably softened as they met with his, though it was easy to tell she was still considerably upset. Without a word, he guided her with one hand so that Starfire stood directly in front of him.

"I do not like this, Robin." She spoke quietly. "She is very mean, and I still do understand what is meant by 'the other kind of date.' Is there another kind?"

There was a pause as Robin fought an internal battle. On the one hand, he had promised Starfire long ago to teach her any of Earth's customs that she asked. He hated breaking promises. But on the other hand, the current situation was hard enough already…and he knew things would only be worse if she knew.

Still…looking up to find himself staring straight into her eyes, he knew he couldn't lie to her.

Heaving a sigh, Robin wracked his mind for a way to explain. "A date is something where two people go off together someplace. It could be to the movies, or a restaurant for dinner, or the park…" he paused to think. "Anywhere they can spend time together."

"But is that not what we do?" She questioned further, desperately trying to fathom what he was telling her.

A smile found its way onto Robin's face. He'd never admit it to himself, let alone anyone else, but it was _exactly_  what they did. "Sort of. Only this kind of spending time together is more…" he tried to think of a word she would be more familiar with. "…special."

"Oh." It took Starfire a moment before her eyes suddenly widened in recognition. "Oh! But, Robin," she began, her voice almost quivering with sudden worry. "Does that mean…"

"No." He snapped, more harsh than intended. Noticing her increasing frustration, he continued on, "Prom is basically a large dance for High School kids where everybody is dressed up in fancy outfits and brings someone special, making it a 'date'. Most think of it as an important part in every person's life. A milestone."

"Milestone?" She repeated.

"Something worth remembering, more or less." He waited for her to absorb this before continuing. "But sometimes, people can be forced to go to these things with someone else, whether they like it or not. Usually because someone threatens to tell an important secret or cause harm in some way."

"Or threaten to devastate the city with giant moth-like creatures."

"Well, that's what we'd call a bit extreme, but yeah."

The Tameranian nodded wordlessly, signaling that she understood as much as possible. But internally, she wasn't sure if this information comforted or concerned her further. Such things did not exist on her planet, and though she wasn't entirely  _un_ familiar with the concept of "blackmail," she still didn't quite comprehend how it worked.

Tilting her head downward, Starfire's eyes fell upon their clasped hands. Neither had moved to break the hold, and Robin was even subconsciously rubbing his thumb over her knuckles in comfort. It was a subtle gesture, yet one she greatly appreciated. Robin always knew how to make her feel better, even slightly, and it never ceased to amaze her just how well her tiny hand fit in his. How right his touch felt.

She smiled weakly at the sight, until he abruptly pulled his hand away. Looking up in surprise, she saw him move to lean against the adjacent wall. He reached into one of his utility belt's many compartments and pulled out his Titans Communicator: "How's it looking, guys?"

" _Not good, man._ " Cyborg's voice came though the tiny speakers. " _There's just too many. I don't know how much longer we can hold 'em off._ " The sound of dozens of buzzing moths, accompanied by Raven and Beast Boy's shouts, confirmed his statement.

There was a pause, then, "All right. Keep me posted; I'll see what I can do. Robin out." Tucking the small object back into its compartment, Robin closed his eyes and let out an audible sigh. He repeatedly banged his head against the wall in frustration.

Having said nothing up until that point, Starfire floated over to where her closest friend and team leader continued the abuse to his skull. He looked defeated, frustrated, and annoyed all in one. Were it not for the circumstances that led him to feel that way, she may have giggled at his current condition: face flushed…hair messier than usual…acting so uncharacteristically childish. Times like those, she was reminded that in spite of his position as leader of a group of heroes, he was still only a teenage boy. Still only human.

It was one of the things she loved most about him.

"I've got to do it." Robin announced suddenly.

"But…but…" she'd known it was coming, though hearing him bluntly say so aloud was still a bit surprising.

"I have to, Starfire. The others can't hold out much longer." He ceased the poundings and opened his eyes, turning his head to look at her. His expression softened at her troubled expression. "Hey, it'll be all right. It's just one event. No big deal."

She forced herself to smile. For him.

Robin kicked himself upright and headed back towards the room. "I have to do it, Star. Even if I don't want to." He restated, more to himself than her. But as Kitten came into his line of sight, he took on an exasperated look and mumbled under his breath, just loud enough for Starfire to hear: "…and I  _really_ …don't want to."

*** * ***

"I'll take the girl to prom."

" _Don't tell me,_ " Killer Moth replied, slightly miffed at having been ignored for so long. He motioned towards Kitten. " _Ask her._ "

Robin's shoulders slumped in disbelief. "You've gotta be—"

" _Do it! Or else…_ "

Through his peripheral vision, Robin caught a glimpse of Starfire hovering near the doorway, silently listening in. He muttered a few choice words under his breath before looking up. "Kitten, was it?"

" _Mrow!_ " She answered, waving her hand like a paw for effect.

Robin felt his left eye twitch slightly, but gritted his teeth. His next few words came out extremely forced: "Will you…go with me to the prom?" He saw Starfire noticeably flinch at the question, wishing he could do something about it.

" _Oh, Robbie-poo! I thought you'd_ never _ask!_ "

*** * ***

Miles away, the thousands of mutated moths abruptly flew off mid-attack, leaving behind three very confused Titans. Pausing to register what it was that just happened, they quickly regrouped in time to hear the Communicator's familiar tune ring out.

" _I managed to buy you guys some time._ " It was Robin. " _Spread out, try to find Killer Moth's hideout._ " A still image of Kitten appeared on the screen. " _Start with this girl._ "

"Who is she?" Raven asked, peering over Cyborg's shoulder. She briefly noticed Starfire hovering in the background, looking upset, but said nothing of it.

" _Name's Kitten. She's got some kind of connection to Killer Moth. Find the connection and you'll find him._ "

"What about you?" Beast Boy chimed in. "Aren't you gonna help us?"

At this, Robin looked down. " _I can't._ " He explained, sounding less than happy about the situation. " _I have a date._ "


	2. Chapter 2

_The first thing her mind registered upon regaining consciousness was the sensation of lying on something incredibly soft, wrapped protectively in what felt like a warm cloud. Moments passed where she simply wished to marvel in her lavish surroundings, allowing her mind a thoughtless rest as she snuggled deeper into the down pillows._

_Then it hit her: such things did not exist on Tameran._

_Part of her was not surprised in the least; the chances of returning home before a stray ship picked her up were not unlikely. The coordinates she'd punched in could also have been off, given that she'd hastily done so. Yet the other part of her was more curious at who (or what) exactly were her rescuers._

_Wearily, Koriand'r blinked her eyes open, only to shut them seconds later as the bright light penetrated her sensitive eyes. Natural light. That meant she was on a planet, not a ship. Allowing her sight to subtly adjust to her surroundings, she found herself in a small room, vacant save for the bed she lay on and a few other pieces of furniture. The air smelled of sterility liquids. White dominated the room, though through the nearby window she was able to see a magnificent view of an evening sunset. It was a multitude of colors—violets, pinks, oranges, blues, and everything in between._

_The sight intrigued her. It was more beautiful than anything she could remember of home, and she wanted a better look._

_Slowly, she pushed back the cloud-like covers, shivering slightly as a rush of cool air swept over her, and moved to stand. Only vaguely did it register that a thigh-length, pale blue gown had replaced her previous ensemble. Her legs wobbled from the sudden weight as soon as her bare feet hit the cold floor, but she managed to get herself to a standing position. The wall provided enough support to hold her body weight easily._

_A few steps later, she stood in front of the tiny pane of glass, looking out at the natural spectrum. Her face curved into a weak smile at the sight. Closing her eyes, Koriand'r reveled in the faint warmth emitting from the rapidly setting sun. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give her strength to stand on her own._

_"So you're awake."_

_The sudden voice from behind startled Koriand'r. She instinctively turned around to face the speaker, but lost her balance as the sudden movement brought about a heavy dizzy spell. Her legs gave way, eyes rolling to the back of her head, all in a matter of seconds as she collapsed…_

_…into a pair of warm, strong arms."_

_"Whoa. Easy, there." The same voice from earlier called out gently. "I got you."_

_Placing a hand to her temple, Koriand'r winced in pain as the sense of vertigo passed. Her forehead rested against the upper chest of her savior until she finally lifted her head. Through blurred vision, she met eyes with a boy—roughly her age—with black hair, tanned skin, and a lean but muscular figure. His clothes were brightly colored and he wore a dark mask that covered the upper portion of his face._

_He looked down at her with a patient smile. "Come on, let's get you back into bed. Raven said you should stay off your feet until you regain your strength." Too exhausted to do much else, Koriand'r welcomed the young boy's assistance back to the soft cot. He took a seat at the edge of the bed once she was safely under the covers and in a sitting position. "We found you just outside of town in your ship." He explained. "You've been asleep for almost two days now."_

_She stared back at him wordlessly, tilting her head to the side as a sign of confusion._

_A moment of silence between them passed until it hit him. "Of course!" He smacked himself in the forehead for not having realized it sooner. "You don't understand a word I'm saying, do you?"_

_Almost as if understanding his plight, Koriand'r gave an apologetic smile._

_"Eh…" He scratched the back of his head sheepishly, trying to think of a possible solution. The Justice League never seemed to have this kind of problem. Why him? Nothing else coming to mind, he simply looked the alien girl in the eye and pointed to his chest. "Robin."_

_"Ro…bin?" The words felt strange to her tongue, but she nodded in understanding. Mirroring what Robin had done seconds before, she pointed to herself and said: "Koriand'r."_

_"Kori-ander?" He repeated, earning another nod in reply. A smug grin appeared on his face that his idea (however simple it had been) worked. If nothing else, he'd managed to get a name out of her. That was something._

_Koriand'r couldn't help the small giggles that escaped her lips at the boy's expression. Robin felt a faint rise of heat to his cheeks at the sound of her melodious laughter, but covered it up by giving her a mock glare. Unfortunately, it only caused her to giggle further._

_The light-hearted atmosphere was quickly shattered, however, as Koriand'r's laughter suddenly turned into a fit of violent coughing. Robin was at her side at once, holding her by the shoulders as she coughed into her hands. Specks of red were seeping through her fingers, what he could only assume was blood. Quickly, but without letting her go, he reached for the communicator._

_"Raven, come in!"_

_"What is it?"_

_"I think our guest's more hurt than we realized; she's coughing up blood." He explained calmly, though his mind was racing with concern. "You'd better get down here fast." With that, the communicator was out of sight and his full attention on the patient._

_To Koriand'r, it felt like the entire room was spinning. Her coughing had subsided, though she still found it difficult to breathe. Eyes shut tight in an attempt to wish away the nausea threatening to overwhelm her, she subconsciously leaned her head against Robin's chest. The slow, rhythmic beating of his heart calmed her some, drowning out all other sounds._

_Raven dashed into the room in a matter of seconds. "How'd she doing, Robin?"_

_The Boy Wonder glanced downward, resisting the urge to smile. "Can't say. You should probably run a quick check on her, just in case." Absently brushing a few messy locks of hair from her face, he added, "She's still breathing, at least."_

_"Lucky her." Given the speaker, Robin wasn't sure if she was being sarcastic or serious. "Has she said anything yet?"_

_"She told me her name's Koriand'r, but that's about it. She can't understand us."_

_The next few minutes seemed to pass by in a blur for Koriand'r as the one called Raven did a quick medical scan. Fortunately, her physiology was similar enough to that of humans to be properly diagnosed. Robin was allowed to stay with Koriand'r throughout the entire procedure, if little more than to make things as smoothly as possible. The alien girl seemed slightly more at ease with Robin around, a fact Raven noted almost immediately._

_Being as young as the Titans were—even with their history and collection of powers—the supplies at Titans' Tower were limited. The standard supply of bandages, antibiotics, and emergency blood and platelet supply were constantly on hand in case something happened in battle, but that was about it. If the situation were any more serious, they would be forced to check in either at the local hospital, or call in J'onn for medical assistance. Still, Raven was able to make the best of her resources._

_Silence, save for the occasional fit of coughing or gasps for air, until: "She'll be okay." Raven announced, taking the stethoscope out of her ears. "A big of excess blood's collected in her lungs, but nothing too serious. It'll clear up within a day of so. But the best thing is for her to stay off her feet."_

_Robin nodded. "Thanks, Raven."_

_"Whatever."_

_Koriand'r blinked her eyes open just as the lavender-haired girl headed out of the room, pulling up her hood as she left. Her head had since found its way onto Robin's shoulder for support, but now he carefully laid her back down so it rested on the soft pillows. She looked up at him with eyes full of curiosity and uncertainty._

_"You heard the doctor." He lightly joked, though he knew she wouldn't be able to understand. "Get some rest." With one last look of reassurance, he gently squeezed her hand for comfort before moving to stand up._

_The grip on his hand suddenly tightened, pausing him in his tracks. Robin turned back to see Koriand'r looking at him almost pleasingly, her eyes showing the first sign of fear since she's woken up. Those pools of emerald drew him in, preying on his weakness for wanting to help those in desperate need of it, no matter what the circumstances. Even by something so seemingly inconsequential as moral support._

_Koriand'r wasn't sure why, but something about this boy's presence eased her mind greatly. Everything from his gentle touch to his confident smile gave her an overwhelming feeling that everything would be okay. She held his hand tightly, wordlessly begging him not to leave her alone._

_After a pause, Robin sat back down. "It's okay. I'm right here."_

_The girl smiled gratefully before closing her eyes. She leaned her head to one side, a few locks of hair strewing across her face. Without realizing what he was doing, Robin reached over and gently brushed them back. His fingers trailed over her delicate skin, evoking a tiny smile from her at the touch._

_Koriand'r allowed herself to drift into a peaceful, dreamless slumber, finding comfort in the fact that Robin was watching over her. Their hands remained clasped together for a long time after._

**_* * *_ **

* * *

~Present Day~

* * *

The roar of a motorcycle engine cut through the air, immediately drawing everyone's attention from any and all previous discussion. Its source appeared seconds later, flying through the air only to come to a side-skid half off to one side. Save for the echo of the running motor and gentle lapping of save against the shore, silence reigned as the driver removed his helmet.

A hand ran through his spiky, unruly, jet-black hair. His mind so focused on dreading the evening to come, Robin remained unaware of the longing glances thrown his way by every female in the vicinity. Not to mention the looks of adoration every boy held in eyeing his bike. But he barely paid the other teenagers any heed at all.

Dismounting in one, smooth motion, he absently tugged at his bowtie. Damn things always felt way too tight. They were half the reason why he hated going to such social events—the company, alone, was bad enough, but spending the time in such a restricting, uncomfortable outfit made it all the more insufferable.

"I really hope she doesn't show," he muttered to himself. No sooner had the words parted from his lips, however, when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. Cringing, he reluctantly turned around to see: "…Starfire?"

Moonlight rose from just beyond the horizon, illuminating the young Tamaranian now standing before him. In place of her usual sleeveless top and mini-skirt was a lavender floor-length gown that shimmered with her every movement. The gown hugged her curves gently, accenting her delicate frame further than Robin thought possible. A mess of soft curls surrounded her face, which was devoid of any makeup yet still seemed to sparkle.

It took every ounce of self-discipline he'd ever acquired in training for Robin's jaw not to drop right there.

Starfire approached him shyly, a beautiful white carnation in her hands. "I believe, on such occasions, it is custom to wear a dead plant." When she was mere inches away from him, she tucked the flower into his front pocket before. His bowtie had come undone from all this fussing, so she reached up to fix it. Her fingers then trailed lightly down the lapels of his jacket.

"Thanks, Star." Robin smiled once he'd found his voice again. "What're you doing here?"

Taking a step back, Starfire placed her hands behind her back sheepishly. "Please do not be mad." She looked down, a tint of pink coloring her cheeks. "I merely wished to see this 'prom' you spoke of for myself. I did not mean to go against orders."

"I'm not mad. Honestly…I'm kinda glad you're here." He admitted, one hand nervously massaging the back of his neck.

"You are?"

"Of course." He tugged at his bowtie again. "It'll be a bit relieving to know there'll be at least one familiar face around."

She giggled slightly. "And besides…you might require saving."

"Well, I don't know about  _that_."

On the other side of the dock entrance, a large, pink limo pulled into the driveway. Trumpets blared from the car horns as if announcing the arrival of its previous cargo. The back door opened and a young girl stepped out, daintily brushing imaginary lint off of her baby-pink, strapless dress.

A quick survey of the area, and she spotted her intended target. "Yoo-hoo! Oh, Robbie-poo!" Kitten called out, drawing more than a few stares. "Your Kitten has arrived, Me- _ow_! She waved a hand in the air for effect, using the other to finger-comb though her blonde dresses. She had every intention of captivating all males in the immediate area.

Unfortunately for her, all eyes were still on the crime-fighting couple…and their eyes were still on each other.

"Where exactly did you get that dress, anyway?" Robin asked.

"Well, do you remember when Raven and I had a 'girls day out'?" He nodded. Starfire's cheeks pinkened further. "Please do not tell her that I spoke of this to you, but we each picked out one dress that afternoon and purchased it for future use."

Kitten's eyes narrowed into slits. If there was one thing she hated most in the world, it was being ignored. Especially by a boy who was supposed to be  _her_  date for the evening. Well, there was a way to fix that! She took a deep breath, and forged an enthusiastic grin.

"ROBIN!" She exclaimed, dashing to the Boy Wonder's side at once. " _There_ you are, silly. I've been looking all over for you! Are you ready for our  _date_?" Every word was overly annunciated, projected loudly enough for the whole boatyard to hear.

As Kitten clung to his arm like a barnacle to a ship (pun intended), Robin glanced back helplessly towards Starfire. "On second thought, maybe I  _will_  need saving." He muttered, just loud enough for her to hear, before Kitten dragged him off towards the ship entrance.

"Look like your having fun!" Starfire heard the girl hiss to Robin under her breath. "And would it kill you to smile?"

Robin's face twisted into an extremely forced grin, speaking through clenched teeth. "Maybe."

Starfire watched them walk away, vainly trying to stiffen her giggles. When it had become clear that Robin was in little danger, the situation grew much more humorous to her. Kitten was rude and annoying…with a voice that could shatter glass…but mostly harmless. That thought alone provided the girl with some relief.

Besides, if this 'Karma' being Raven had told her about really existed, Kitten would get hers soon enough.

Thoughts of this running through her mind, Starfire was surprised when a voice called out to her just as she reached the boarding plank: "Hey, you!"

She turned to see a middle-aged woman with a clipboard in her hand running towards her. Streaks of silver ran through her chocolate-colored hair, which was pulled back into a tight bun, and her face showed a hint of aging wrinkles. Various shades of pastel colored an outfit one would consider more casual than formal, and seemed rather out of place for such a situation.

Even more out of place was the look of disapproval the woman was giving her as she stood at the entrance.

"I'm talking to you, young lady." She snapped, her voice remaining at an eerily calm level. "What do you think you're doing? You don't attend this school."

"I…" Starfire was at a loss for words, her face rapidly growing warm as she realized others were beginning to stare.

"Honestly," The woman continued, "Superheroine or not, there are rules for this sort of thing. And those rules clearly state that—"

"Relax, Mrs. Colleary." A sudden voice rang out from behind her. "She's with me."

Turning her head towards the speaker, Starfire found herself face to face with a young man roughly her height and build. Like every other male that night, he wore a traditional black-and-white tuxedo, though he looked even more uncomfortable than the outfit than Robin had. His skin held a healthy glow to it from hours spend under the sun, accenting his reddish hair, which was kept neat and trim.

She couldn't see his eyes because they were covered by a pair of dark shades, like those of a movie star's. Though the moon was full and shone amidst a clear sky full of bright stars, Starfire wondered how he could possible see wearing them. Robin had let her try on a pair of his once during full daylight, and even then, she'd had a difficult time seeing  _anything_.

Mrs. Colleary raised an eyebrow at the newcomer. "Is that so?"

The boy nodded and, in one smooth motion, stepped up to Starfire and intertwined her arm with hers as further proof. Starfire glanced at him questioningly out of the corner of her eye. He maintained a very cool expression, throwing the teacher a cool grin.

"Play along." He whispered to Starfire.

She blinked in confusion before… "Ah!" Her face brightened with understanding before turning back to Mrs. Colleary. "That is correct, ma'am."

The elder woman glanced back and forth between the couple a few times before heaving a sigh of defeat. "If it were anybody but you, Mr. Harper, I'd doubt it. However…"

"Thanks, Mrs. C. You have a good evening, now!" The boy called out behind him as he tugged on Starfire's arm, quickly leading the girl up and onto the ship before the teacher could protest further.

Once they were onboard, he relinquished his hold on Starfire's arm. She took a moment to glance at her new surroundings. The main deck was sparsely decorated, a few tables and decorations scattered around the wooden floor. Most of the other kids were either still down on the dock, meeting up with friends, or through the doorway to her left, where Starfire was just barely able to make out a darkened ballroom-like setting.

Leaning slightly over the edge to admire the sloshing water below, she smiled. So this was 'prom'?

A sudden shift in movement before her drew her attention. She met the boy's gaze and smiled gratefully. "I thank you for your assistance."

"Think nothing of it." The sunglasses came off, and he slipped them into his tuxedo jacket. "And don't worry 'bout Mrs. C down there. I don't think she had much of a life other than harassing kids."

Starfire's smile softened as he absently tucked a hand behind his head, his enduring confidence gradually slipping the longer they conversed. Now that she was able to look directly into his eyes, her mind briefly registered just how similar this boy appeared to Robin in so many ways. He had that same overly confident attitude that always seemed to wither away when it was just the two of them, and even the same smirk.

He was certainly no Robin, at least not in her eyes, but it was nice to see there were others like him in the world.

Placing a hand to her chest, she began, "My name is—"

"Starfire. I know." He interrupted, earning a faint look of surprise. Chuckling at her expression, he continued. "I've heard all about the Teen Titans. Everyone has. You guys saved this town on more occasions than I can recall. Helping you sneak into Junior Prom tonight was the least I could do."

She nodded in understanding. "I hope I did not cause you to…go out of your way?" The words came out hesitantly in her attempt as a common Earth phrase. He seemed to understand well enough, because he waved a hand in the air as if to dismiss the thought.

"Nah. Actually, I'm here playing assistant DJ tonight." He replied. When she gave him a bewildered look, he added. "That means I'm helping out the guy in charge of the music."

"So you are not here with another person?"

"Hey, now. You make it sound like a bad thing." He gave a mock grin before checking the time on his wristwatch. "Speaking of, I'd better get to the sound system before the party starts. You okay by yourself?"

"I believe so." He began heading towards the doorway when she remembered something. "Oh! I forgot to ask you: what is your name?"

"Name's Roy. Roy Harper." He turned to answer without stopping, walking backwards a few steps. "Oh, and in case you're wondering…Robin headed inside about five minutes ago." With a wink, he turned and disappeared into the room, leaving behind a blushing Starfire.


	3. Chapter 3

_She awoke with a start, shooting up in bed as a gasp escaped her lips. Beads of sweat had already begun to form on her brow, yet she found herself shivering almost uncontrollably. For a brief moment, silence reigned save for the erratic beating of her heart. Her blurred vision saw not the medium-sized room she resided in, but instead replayed the horrid images still fresh in her mind._

_That had been the third nightmare this week, she thought, while vainly attempting to choke back a sob. They were rapidly increasing in both violence and frequency._

_Absently, she reached over and grabbed the stuffed kitten sitting on her nightstand, hugging it close to her chest. Robin had given it to her some time ago as a sort of housewarming gift, not long after she'd first settled in. His way of welcoming her to the team. Along with instantly becoming her favorite Earth animal, it brought her a welcoming sense of comfort whenever Robin was not around to provide such. Usually, it worked…but not this time._

_She needed some air._

_Placing the tiny kitten on the bed where she had been resting just moments prior, she stood up and headed out the door. The hallway was dark and foreboding, but not entirely unfamiliar. Her fingers lightly grazed the smooth walls as she trailed along at a leisure pace, the edges of her purple pajama pants dragging along the floor because they were a couple sizes too large. She tugged at the sleeves of her equally-too-big, matching button-up top as her mind thought back to the dream._

_Much as she wanted nothing more than to erase it from her memory, bits and pieces continued to loom over her. It was always the same, exact scenes, too: remnants of her time on the Psion ship as prisoner, before managing an escape. Every last detail. Those damn, cold holding cells…crowds of soldiers hovering over her…the nauseating smell of sterility as the doctors (if one could even call them that) performed countless examinations and test sequences…_

_"Hey, you okay?"_

_She looked up, surprised to see herself already in the doorway of the kitchen and meeting eye to eye with a smiling Robin. He gave her a quick look of concern, but she shook her head softly and forced a smile as if to say 'nothing's wrong.'_

_Robin raised a suspicious eyebrow, but chose to remain silent as she drifted over to where he was standing. Instead, his focused turned back to the kitchen counter, where he was busy mixing dark powder into a steaming mug of white liquid. Well aware of her intent stare, he turned back to face her and held up the mug._

_"It's called_ cocoa _." He explained slowly, emphasizing the name so she would understand easier. "Wanna try some?"_

_She nodded shyly, reaching out to take it. However, no sooner did the drink touch her lips than she abruptly pulled back with a faint cry of surprise. Were it not for Robin's quick reflexes, she would have dropped the whole thing._

_"Sorry about that. Guess it's too hot." He replied sheepishly, knowing she couldn't understand his explanation._

_One hand still held both of hers to the mug while the other reached into a nearby drawer, pulling out a large tablespoon. Dipping it into the chocolaty mix, he stirred a few times before gathering a small amount. Koriand'r watched his every movement through peripheral vision, her eyes never once leaving his, as he raised the spoon and lightly blew on it once. The steam swirled around the air briefly before vanishing entirely._

_"Try this." His voice came out much quieter than before, partially due to the close distance between them._

_Taking that as her cue, she cautiously leaned forward and took a sip. No longer burning her tongue, the rich flavor delighted her taste buds and warmed her throat as she felt it smoothly trickle all the way down: "Mmm." She murmured in delight, earning a faint laugh from Robin._

_"I guess that means you like it," he commented as she took another sip, this time from the mug._

_Since she had all but taken over the cocoa, he happily turned back to the counter to fix a second cup for himself. A quick scan of the fridge even revealed a decent stash of whipped cream left, so he squirted a pile on top. Unfortunately, a bit of it got on his nose as he drank, resulting in Koriand'r bursting into a fit of giggles at the sight of him._

_"What?" He questioned, unaware of the froth on his nose. She pointed to a nearby toaster, where he managed to catch a glimpse of himself in the metallic reflection. "Haha. Very funny." He commented dryly, but couldn't keep the smirk off his face. "You know, you look like you could use a little…"_

_Robin scooped a small amount on one finger and smeared in on her nose. She let out a shriek of both surprise and amusement, pulling away just seconds too late. This only encouraged him further, however, as he tried to get a little more on her. But she was a fast learner, ducking before he had the chance while managing to acquire a small amount of her own ammo. Namely, the entire can. They were now at a stalemate, with Robin at a clear disadvantage, and she was giving him an uncharacteristically impish grin._

_"You wouldn't dare…" Robin challenged, slowly backing away from the Tamaranian. She pretended to advance for a few seconds before hesitating and lowering the can in a sign of submission. Taking the bait, Robin let down his guard and moved closer…only to have a shower of whipped cream spurted all over him: "Hey, no fair!" he whined, grabbing her wrists to hopefully prevent any more 'surprises.'_

_She let out a squeal at his sudden action and tried to wiggle her way out, but Robin held tight, twisting her around so that he could grab the other arm. The half-empty can clattered to the floor and innocently rolled away, suddenly all but forgotten by the two teens._

_Koriand'r struggled vainly against his hold; drawing her hands in close to her waist until her back was leaning up against his broad chest with both his arms wrapped around her. Yet, in spite of the close proximity, neither noticed, as they were too preoccupied with their laughter to the point where it became difficult for either of them._

_"Yo, Robin!" A voice called out from the den, "You coming!"_

_"In a sec!" he answered, almost having forgotten that it was Movie Night at the Tower._

_Releasing his hold (somewhat reluctantly), he grabbed a towel from the sink and wiped off his face and the drops of cream from her hair. Koriand'r was gleefully licking the whipped cream off her fingers; so he motioned for her to come over and gently wiped her face clean as well. The two shared a smile as he gingerly ran the soft material across her cheek and nose, being extremely careful not to hurt her._

_"Come on," he said, taking her hand and leading her into the adjacent room._

_The three other Titans were already seated in various places on the couch when the duo entered the room, Koriand'r once more reverting to her state of shyness and hovering close to Robin. Raven was off to the side, buried in one of her gothic novels while the other two continued their argument over that night's choice of movies—like they did every week._

_"Look who I brought." Robin announced, immediately drawing their attention._

_Koriand'r shrunk behind him under their gaze, but offered a timid smile. She was greeted with a warm reception before everyone returned to their previous tasks. Taking a seat beside Robin, she curled up in a more comfortable position, with her knees bent and feet resting comfortably beside her. Within minutes, a mutual agreement between parties had been made and the opening credits to a nineties horror film began._

_From the moment the first scene began, she was captivated. There had been devices like these on her home planet, though it had been far too long for her to remember experiencing a night like this. The language was still very foreign to her, so she often did not understand the jokes, but found herself laughing right along with the others. As time passed, her eyelids fluttered slightly and she had to stiffen a yawn several times._

_Halfway through the movie, Raven glanced over at the duo. Koriand'r looked to be asleep, her head resting comfortably on Robin's shoulder, and smiling softly. The boy either didn't notice or didn't care; though his full attention appeared to be on the big screen in front of him, one hand was protectively holding hers..._

*** * ***

* * *

~Present Day~

* * *

All things considered, Robin did have to admit one thing: at least the food was good.

Two hours had since passed with little incident, though to him, it felt like an eternity. After the initial embarrassment of having Kitten verbally proclaim their presence to everyone as they boarded, the two settled down at one of the reserved tables to eat. Robin was only too relieved she hadn't demanded a pre-prom dinner earlier in the evening.

The room he now sat in was very large—easily the size of a large restaurant—with numerous tables scattered about. Most were large enough to accommodate for several people, though few (such as the one Kitten had dragged him to) were obviously made to seat only two. Many decorations adorned the walls: streamers, balloons, and the like. Glitter-covered stars hung from the ceiling, while multi-colored balloons were let loose, particularly around the dance floor area.

Though the place was dimly lit, save for the glow of a few candles and spotlight, but Robin's eyes easily adjusted to their surroundings. He skimmed the room absently while Kitten was distracted with her meal, until his sight fell upon the refreshment area. Starfire had taken up permanent residence over by the punch bowl, successfully blending in with the rest of the teenage crowd while remaining the timid wallflower he knew her to be. Occasionally, a couple would head in her direction and ask for a drink, which she happily obliged to.

For the first time that evening, a smile appeared on his face.  _Smart girl,_  he thought to himself with more than a hint of pride.  _She's got a clear view of the entire room from over there._

One of the countless waiters appeared, breaking Robin from his train of thought. He swiftly cleared the table of the couple's dishes as Kitten daintily dabbed at her cherry red lips with the cloth napkin, then asked if they would be requesting dessert as well.

"Oh, no thank you." She replied with a dismissive wave of the hand. "Gotta watch my figure, after all."

 _This from the girl who just ate a sixteen-ounce steak dinner._  Thankful she couldn't see, Robin rolled his eyes beneath the opaque mask.

The waiter bowed. "Very good, madam. Will the gentlemen pass as well?" Kitten nodded, and the waiter bowed once more before leaving with the tableware.

A moment of silence followed, immeasurably thick with tension. Kitten leaned her elbows on the table and leaned forward as she rested her chin in both hands, staring dreamily at Robin. The Boy Wonder, however, tried to look anywhere but at her; his found his gaze all-too often drifting back to the refreshment stand.

Kitten's eyes narrowed slightly when it became clear that her own date was purposely ignoring her. Again. Growing increasingly frustrated with the boy's stubbornness, she stood up and walked over to him.

"Come on, Robbie-poo…lets dance!"

He rocked stubbornly in his chair, arms folded, refusing to budge: "I don't dance."

"Oh, come on." She bent down to meet his eyes with hers, purposely drooping the neckline of her dress down an inch or so. "You've  _never_  danced before."

"Tried it once. Didn't like it."

She abruptly stood up in a huff, blowing a few loose strands of blonde hair from her face. "Oh, well…" came the reply, in a sickeningly sweet tone. Reaching into the designer bag she'd placed on the table, one hand appeared with a cell phone. "Guess I'll just have to let all those moths onto the city then…" One finger rested just above the dial pad as she smirked sinisterly.

Robin muttered a few choice words under his breath before glancing up. "Wanna dance?" He managed, though clenched teeth.

Before he could react, Kitten had tossed her phone back in the bag and yanked him over to the dance floor, letting out an excited squeal. Robin reluctantly placed his hands on her waist as she wrapped her around his neck, trying to pull the boy closer. A new song rang out just as they began lightly swaying to the beat, the sound of electric piano and guitar permeating the air.

"Oh, Robbie-poo!" She sighed blissfully after a moment, eyelids half closed in what only she could believe was a seductive manner. "From now on, this will always be our song." And, much to his horror, she leaned her head against his shoulder, ignoring the fact that his entire body tensed at the touch.

_This isn't a song; it's a bunch of chords playing over and over again!_

When the music finally ended—though not soon enough, in Robin's opinion—it was instantly replaced with a more upbeat hip-hop number. Cheers and hollers erupted throughout the room from many who recognized the song. But none were anywhere near as loud or ear-splitting as the shrieks Kitten let out suddenly, dragging Robin over to a collective group of girls to one side.

"Hey, girls!" She exclaimed, waving to get their attention. "Oh, Mary Sue, that dress looks absolutely  _gorgeous_! It suits you perfectly!"

A raven-haired girl with sun-kissed skin and cobalt eyes grinned, showing off perfectly white teeth as she spun around once to show off the form-fitting, midnight-blue dress she was wearing. "Doesn't it just?" She giggled. "But it's nothing compared to yours, honey. Where on earth did you find it?"

The group burst into a fit of giggles as designer names and store locations were rattled off; it was all Robin could do not to cringe from the screeching sound of their voices. They sounded like a bunch of hens on a farm. He turned to one side, where a group of boys—the other girls' dates, no doubt—stood around in a casual manner, seemingly oblivious to the hecklings.

As a second wave of laugher erupted, Robin winced in pain and turned to the guy nearest him. "How can you guys stand it?" He whispered, but got no response. In fact, it was as if they hadn't heard him at all. "…Hello?" He tried again, this time a little louder.

"Hmm…what?" The boy turned, as if noticing Robin for the first time. "I'm sorry. Did you say something?" Reaching into his ears, he pulled out a pair of earplugs. The other boys followed suit.

Robin almost fell over in disbelief…partially from not having thought of it himself.

*** * ***

The sudden change in tempo had startled Starfire faintly. She looked up from her glass of punch to see a group of kids gathering together on the dance floors, cheers and shouts ringing out. The scene reminded her somewhat of the warehouse party scene some time ago, with one major difference. From what she could see, the kids weren't dancing…they were just standing around, attention focused on something that their current presences were blocking from her view.

Floating closer to the scene, she tapped the shoulder of a young girl nearby. "If I may ask, what is it we find so amusing?"

If the girl was either annoyed or bemused by the request, she didn't show it. "I guess you've never seen somebody break-dancing before, have you?" When Starfire shook her head, the girl offered a friendly smile and motioned towards the floor. "Well, see for yourself!"

Fortunately for the young Tameranian, she was slightly taller than most of the crowd, and was barely able to see over their heads. The sight of a young man greeted her, dressed in tuxedo pants and white button-up shirt but lacking the matching jacket and tie. Much to her amusement, Starfire watched as he flopped over the floor, spun around, and performed a number of flips while is fellow classmates cheered him on. Seconds later, he retreated back into the circle, and another boy took his place.

Starfire clapped in delight along with the rest. "Glorious!" She exclaimed to the girl. "Is this something all Earth males can do?"

"Oh, not just the boys…" came the reply, with a mischievous wink. "Watch and learn." Using the bracelet on her wrist, she pulled back her hair into a short ponytail and kicked off her high-heeled shoes before shoving her way to the front. "Outta my way, fellas; let the master show you how it's done."

*** * ***

At a quarter past ten, the speakers let out a sudden ring from the feedback as the latest song came to an end. The DJ—a young man in his early twenties—took to the stage with a wireless microphone.

"Is everyone havin' a good time so far?" He paused as a chorus of 'yeah!'s echoed throughout the room. "That's what I thought. Now then, there's a very special young woman here this evening who wants to sing for y'all, so let's here some noise for one of your fellow classmates…"

A brown-haired girl wearing a simple, autumn colored dress stepped up onstage and was handed the microphone. She was greeted with a warm reception of enthusiastic applause…not to mention, a few catcalls coming particularly from members of the male persuasion. Behind her, a few other students worked quickly to set up their instruments.

"Well, it if isn't little  _Katie-Lynn_." Robin heard one of Kitten's friends call out. "I hate to disappoint you, luv, but this is Junior Prom, not karaoke night." A chorus of hyena-like laughter erupted from the rest of the group, leaving Robin grinding his teeth further.

The girl onstage looked like she was about to respond, when a third voice rang out from somewhere in the back of the room: "Don't you listen to 'em, Kaitlyn! You show those bimbos what real talent looks like!"

The rest of the room burst into soft laughter as Kitten's group scoffed in a mixture of shock and disgust.

"Thanks, Mia." Kaitlyn spoke into the microphone though her own giggles. "This first one's a personal favorite of mine, and I hope y'all like it, too." She nodded to the boy on piano, and the opening bars to _Thinking Over_  began.

Robin felt a sudden tug at his arm, and turned to see a group of flustered girls staring at him. "We're off the powder room, Robbie-poo." Kitten stated. "Do your little kitten a favor and get me a drink, kay?" Eyelashes fluttered as Kitten put on a show for her friends, before her gaze turned to a glare as they looked away. "And make it  _quick_!" She hissed before leaving with the other girls.

He let out audible sigh of relief the instant they were out of sight before heading across the room. Reaching into his tuxedo jacket, he pulled out his communicator and flipped it open with open with one hand while walking. "Please tell me you guys have found Killer Moth's hideout." He whispered, almost pleadingly.

Cyborg was the first to answer back: " _Not yet, but we did manage to track down your girlfriend's home address_." The image of an old-fashioned living room flashed behind him. " _…look' like something out of The Brady Bunch, if you ask me_."

"She's NOT my girlfr—"

" _Hold on._ " Cyborg interrupted him mid-protest. " _Looks like BB might've found something. We'll check back in a few._ " With that, the link was severed, leaving nothing more than a screen filled with static.

The Boy Wonder sighed in defeat, a groan escaping his lips as he tucked the com. back in his jacket. He looked up to realize his aimless wandering had led him over to the refreshment table, and easily caught sight of Starfire. Feigning as best a smile as possible, he headed straight towards her.

"Having fun?"

Starfire turned to the sound of the voice, smile widening. "Oh, yes. I have enjoyed flowering the wall for much of this evening." She replied enthusiastically; Robin's own smile grew slightly more natural at her innocent tone. "Would you like a cup of fruity beverage, Robin?"

He chuckled softly. "Sure." Carefully using the ladle, Starfire spooned the liquid into a plastic cup and handed it to him. "Thanks, Star." He said before taking a sip…and promptly spit it back into the cup.

"Is something wrong?" She asked him, brows furrowing in confusion.

Robin warily glanced down at the drink in his hand. The last time he'd tasted a drink that strong was…well…never. "Um…Star? How much punch have you had tonight?"

"How much?" She paused for a moment, deeply considering the question. "I suppose I have consumed a few cups worth of liquid. Why do you wish to know?" …then proceeded to sip from her own cup, as if it contained nothing more than water.

Robin stared at her for a moment before shaking his head, vainly resisting the urge to grin.

" _Robbie-poo!_ " He cringed at the sudden unwelcome, familiar sound before turning to see Kitten standing right behind him. She tugged eagerly at his arm, shooting the Tameranian a split-second glare before going on to ignore her. "You promised me another dance, remember?"

Dryly. "I did?"

"Yes. You did." Matter-of-factly.

Robin glanced back towards Starfire in apology. "That is alright; I understand. I have been meaning to…step outside for a moment, anyway." She explained uneasily. Kitten gave her an odd look, but Robin had grown familiar with her broken English and smiled in understanding before Kitten dragged him off.

*** * ***

Starfire rested her arms on the ship railing, leaning forward as she closed her eyes. A sigh escaped her as she felt the warm breeze blow lightly through her hair, gently strewing a few strands across her face. The deck was completely vacant, leaving her alone with the sound of lapping waves against the ship's hull.

Watching her beloved friend and team leader dragged off yet again, she'd decided there was only so much one could take. Several guys had walked up to her since then and offered a dance, but she'd reclined politely each time, opting instead to stand around. There was only one person she wanted to dance with that evening.

A tear trickled down her cheek and dropped into the clear blue waters below, rippling her mirrored reflection. Enough was enough; with a glance back at the darkened room, she took to the air. The initial joy of experiencing "Prom" had worn off as time passed, and suddenly there was no longer any reason to stay. Robin did not need her help, and even if he did, there was little she could do.

The last few words of the music coming from inside drifted out into the night as Starfire rose higher and higher into the sky, but by then, she was too far away to hear them:

" _Father, which way should I go? I cannot clearly see. Oh, I love him so. But only…you know…if he's the one for me…_ "

*** * ***

" _Found it._ "

Never in his life had Robin been so relieved to hear two words through the communicator, a simultaneous chorus from all three of the Titans. It was still tucked away in his jacket, but at a high enough volume for easy hearing. Yet Kitten seemed oblivious to it, in spite of leaning her entire body weight against his. Several times, he'd had to resist the urge to 'accidentally' shove her off.

Kitten lifted her head suddenly and stared at him with dreamy eyes. "Kiss me," she whispered in a husky voice, moving close to brush her lips against his…

…only to have a finger pressed against them at the last moment.

"Sorry. I don't like you that way." She opened her eyes in shock to see a now-smirking Robin. "In fact…I just don't like you."

Kitten's eyes opened as wide as saucers: "WHAT?"

"The Titans are taking down Killer Moth as we speak," Robin explained, holding up the communicator for effect before turning to leave. "We're done here."

"Oh, no we're NOT!" Robin spun back around to see Kitten staring at him with an almost crazed glare, fist clenched at her sides. " _Daddy_ 's not calling the shots here tonight,  _Robbie-Poo_ …" She abruptly tore off the carnation pinned to her dress, the petal falling away to reveal a hand-held push button: "I am!"

"Daddy?" He repeated in disbelief.

"That's right," came the venomous reply. She quickly reached out, grabbing him by the shirt collar. "And unless you want the entire city to be eaten by  _my_  killer moths, you'll  _pucker up_!"

Closing her eyes once more, Kitten leaned forward. Her lips puckered together in a grotesque way, giving the impression that she was some kind of mutated fish.

Beads of sweat trickled down Robin's forehead as he vainly tried to escape her grasp. His eyes drifted downward; the controller was at her side, clutched tightly in her right fist. With Kitten somewhat distracted for the moment, if he could only reach…a little further…

_Got it!_

Kitten let out a shrill cry of surprise as Robin tried to grab the device out of her hand. But she held on tightly, grasping it with both hands until the two were engaged in a fierce tug-of-war battle. Around them, crowds of people had begun to form, watching the events unraveling before them. Most were unsure of what else was happening to do much else.

To Robin's great surprise, the lithe blonde managed to hold tight, giving the Boy Wonder a run for his money.  _She's stronger than I thought…_  Until, finally, he caught her off balance and both Kitten and controller were caught in his arms.

"Hey, you!"

The voice drew the attention of Robin and Kitten alike, the latter of which suddenly gasped in delight: "Fang!" she exclaimed, as if the previous events up until that moment had never happened. Robin followed her gaze, eyes widening at the sight.

" _That's_  you boyfriend?"

He'd heard about Fang several times that evening, primarily from Kitten herself. Yet in spite of all her rants, ever last repugnant word she'd uttered about him—most of which were in comparison to himself—the last person Robin would ever have suspected was the boy heading straight for them.

The crowd parted to reveal none other than the arachnid-headed criminal he and the other Titans had been chasing earlier in the day, after thwarting his jewelry store robbery. It was hard to tell, but Robin had the distinctive feeling that spider boy was glaring exceptionally deep at him…and his current position wasn't helping much, either.

"Get your hands off my girl!" Fang demanded, shoving him the ground. The controller was consequentially knocked from Robin's clutches as he was pinned to the ground. All around, crowd of people burst into a fit of hysterics, a few girls starting to scream as they desperately tried to get out of the way of the impending battle.

Fang hovered over the boy menacingly, hot breath blowing across his face as his razor-sharp fangs gleamed in the spotlight. It would only be a matter of time before they made contact. Robin tried to worm his way out, but the spider leg on top of him was also sharp, and dug into his chest whenever he moved. At the last moment, however, he felt a sudden release in pressure as Fang was knocked off by a familiar looking orb of green light.

All eyes turned to the open doorway wordlessly in time to see a very pissed-off looking Starfire, hands and eyes glowing brightly in fury:

" _Keep your legs off my boy!_ "


	4. Chapter 4

_Time seemed to freeze in that one horrific moment as the sound of a gunshot reverberated through the air. Robin and Cyborg simultaneously turned in time to see the emerald wolf recoil in mid-air from the force of the blow, roughly slamming into a nearby wall. The figure twitched for a moment before lying completely motionless._

_"Beast Boy!" Cyborg called out. When attempting to run to his aid, however, a shower of bullets quickly forced the human-robot hybrid once more behind the large crates he had been using for a barricade. His sight rapidly shifted back and forth between their fallen comrade and the Boy Wonder, who was crouched a few crates to his left._

_Robin said nothing, peering out through bangs damp with perspiration as he mentally tried to assess the current situation. They were a man down—two, if you counted the fact that Raven was on the other side of town—and he had already counted more than thirty assailants. His breath came out in quick, shallow gasps of air, chest heaving up and down deeply from both exhaustion and worry._

_"Robin!"_

_"I know!" He called back without so much as a glance. "I saw it, too."_

_Time was running out, and so were his ideas; when the alarm had rung out earlier of a drug smuggling operation preparing to ship from the Jump City pier, no one had even considered the possibility of such an overwhelming number of both men and firepower. Almost as if they had been expected._

_Adding to the fact was that Robin was exhausted, having been up most of the previous night filling out paperwork. It was one of the least favorable jobs that came with being a teenage superhero, so of course, he was usually the one left to it. Even with Koriand'r's enthusiastic assistance—something that had, he admitted, seemed to make the time more enjoyable than usual—it had taken hours to file away every case into its proper cabinet._

_Though he certainly hadn't regretted the time spent, the series of yawns he was stifling that particular moment were more than enough to make him reconsider future all-nighters…_

_"Robin, look out!"_

_Cyborg's cry rang through the air, jolting Robin from a near slumber he hadn't even been aware of falling into. Eyes blinking open, he twisted his lean form to see one of the bandana-class gunman hovering inches over him with a machete, ready to strike the final blow…_

_…and the glowing ball of green light that knocked said attacker clear across the room._

_Seconds later, Raven flew into their line of vision. "You guys okay?"_

_"Man, Raven," Cyborg voiced in sheer awe, "I didn't know you had it in ya!"_

_"Wasn't me." She shook her head before motioning to something directly behind them. "She did it."_

_Turning around, the boys' jaws nearly dropped at the sight. It was none other than Koriand'r…hovering inches above the ground, with a glowing orb of green engulfing each hand. Her eyes shone a brilliant emerald as they focused on the one who had tried to kill Robin; the man was just beginning to regain consciousness, rubbing the back of his head in pain as he sat up._

_Even more surprising was her change in wardrobe. Now donning a purple top with matching mini-skirt and boots, her orange-tinted skin brightly contrasted with the colors, accented further by the metallic gloves, belt, and neck brace that each held a familiar Titans' homing signal receiver._

_As they looked on, neither able to find their voices, the Tamaranian girl flew ahead and disarmed each villain, knocking several of them to the ground. She was able to maneuver her way around the warehouse with amazing ease, and though she had the element of surprise—or, more accurately, complete shock—in her favor, it was clear that the girl was a fighter._

_Raven, however, grew distressed when the realization dawned on her that Beast Boy was not among them. A quick scan of the room confirmed her fears: "Oh, no…" A series of 'ping' sounds meant Koriand'r was no doubt still dominating in her current battle, giving the lavender-haired Titan leeway to float over to the still figure._

_"Beast Boy, can you hear me?" She whispered softly, kneeling beside the boy still in wolf form. A faint moan was her only reply._

_That meant he was alive, at least…but not for long, if he didn't receive medical attention soon. Placing a hand over his stomach area, she was shocked at the amount of blood flowing from the single wound. The sticky liquid lightly coated her fingers, glistening in the dim light. More was already beginning to puddle on the floor._

_A canine whimper drew her attention at once, sounding weaker and weaker as the seconds past._

_"Hold on, Beast Boy. Try to stay awake for me, alright?" Wiping the blood on her cape—which was already stained at that point—she gently stroked the boy's fur in an attempt to soothe him. He nuzzled slightly into her embrace, shifting his weight so his head came to rest in her lap._

_In spite of herself, Raven couldn't help a weak smile. He trusted her; she could sense it._

_Making sure he was as comfortable as possible, the girl once more placed a hand to his wound. Her eyes glowed an iridescent black and she braced herself for the oncoming pain. Sure enough, as the blood began to slow and the wound close in on itself, a sudden wave of nausea swept over her, causing her to cry out. She shut her eyes tightly, concentrating on her healing while enduring the unwelcome side effects._

_Beast Boy had slipped into unconsciousness before it even began; minutes later, she too finally collapsed, one hand clutching the phantom wound on her stomach._

*** * ***

_The sun had set hours prior when the Titans finally returned home that night, Cyborg being telekinetically carried by Raven while Koriand'r had Robin by the arms. Beast Boy was the first to arrive, stretching an overly-exaggerated yawn as he quickly morphed back from his aviary form, subconsciously rubbing at his side. The pain and blood were gone, a faint tingling sensation providing the only proof that it hadn't been a dream._

_"You okay?" Cyborg called out with a hint of worry._

_"I think so." The changeling answered back, "Nothing a little R-and-R won't be able to cure." As he spoke, Beast Boy stole a long glance towards Raven, who was vainly attempting to appear indifferent while maintaining her balance. Waking up beside the lavender-haired beauty hadn't been an entirely unpleasant experience, though it did bring up more than a few questions on how it happened. And why._

_The last thing he remembered was the sight of blood—his blood, and not unlike those dark stains marring her cape—and the feel of Raven's gentle touch as she knelt down to help him. Everything that came afterwards was a blank…although, watching Raven stumble for the third time in less than two minutes, he had a strong feeling that she'd done something to him._

_Probably with her powers._

_Probably even saving his life._

_Again, Raven's legs buckled under her own weight. Beast Boy was instantly at her side without thinking about it. "Easy there, girl. Feelin' alright?"_

_"Yeah." he nodded, holding a hand to her head. "Just tired."_

_He nodded wordlessly in understanding, feeling the fatigue himself. Though the curiosity was whelming up inside him, practically pleading for him to ask about what had happened earlier…something about the glance Raven gave him silenced the question before it even escaped his lips. Almost as if she were silently pleading him to not bring it up—that she didn't want to talk about it. Not right then, at least._

_Instead, he turned his attention to the Tamaranian. "That was some pretty awesome butt-kicking you handed out back there," he grinned, momentarily forgetting her inability to speak English._

_Koriand'r's face twisted into a tiny look of confusion, looking to Robin._

_"He means 'good job'," The Boy Wonder translated, flashing her a warm smile. She mirrored it instantly, blushing lightly._

_"Dude," Beast Boy facefaulted, "How come she can understand_ you _?"_

_"She can't. Not really, anyways." He replied, eyes never once leaving the alien girl's._

_"But—"_

_"I think what Robin means," Raven interrupted in her usual omnipotent voice, signaling she was already feeling slightly better, "Is that she doesn't actually know what he's saying, but can tell enough just by the tone of his voice that he's complimenting her. It's not surprising," she continued, "After all, she's probably spent more time with him than the rest of us put together."_

_Cyborg scratched his metallic head. "That kinda makes sense. I guess…"_

_As Raven was giving her speech, however, Koriand'r grew more and more frustrated with each passing syllable. It was easy enough to understand the green-skinned boy by his animated actions (and a little help from Robin) that he had been expressing words of praise. But the hooded girl spoke with very little emotion as was near impossible to read._

_Noticing her troubled expression, Robin offered the girl a quick squeeze of the hand in comfort. But if anything, the gesture only made her feel worse. It only reminded Koriand'r that not only was it impossible to understand the majority of what everyone said to her, but she couldn't even speak to Robin. She wanted so badly to be able to have a conversation with him, to let him know how much she appreciated the time he spent with her._

_When Robin turned back towards Koriand'r, he found her staring at him with a sad smile. They remained like that for a few seconds before she bravely took a step forward, closing the distance between them. Beneath the mask, Robin's eyes widened in surprise, yet found himself unable to move. Gently releasing her hand from his grasp, she instead placed it lightly on his chest before leaning in and—to the shock of everyone present—kissing him._

_She had meant for it to be short-lived, but quickly found herself entranced by the sensation of his lips against hers. They were soft and warm; a shiver trickled down her spine from the touch. For a brief moment, she could have sworn she felt him returning the kiss, but dismissed the notion as wishful thinking._

_Reluctantly pulling away almost as quickly as it had begun, Koriand'r opened her eyes and smiled softly at him. "Hi, Robin."_

_"Huh? She talks?" Beast Boy was the first to speak up, his mouth once again seconds before his brain. "But—? How—?"_

_"Physical contact." The girl explained, her voice soft and hesitant with the new, unfamiliar words, despite the obvious enthusiasm she held in speaking them. "I simply absorbed your language."_

_"Y-you had to kiss me to do that?" Robin managed to croak out, his face flushed._

_Koriand'r smiled innocently. "Language is spoken through the lips, is it not?" She asked in reply. Raven, in particular, noticed the subtle way she'd avoided Robin's question._

_Snickering from the other two boys soon drifted into the air as they tried to stiffen the inevitable laughter. Robin's cheeks were burning red, and he'd yet to take his eyes away from the Tameranian girl before him. Simultaneously, they walked up to the Titan leader, each grabbing an arm, and began to lead him inside._

_"Come on, Romeo," Cyborg grinned, "It's getting late."_

_Finding himself verbally unable to snap back, the flustered boy reluctantly allowed himself to be lead down the nearby stairs, leaving Raven and Koriand'r behind. A moment's pause passed between the two before Raven spoke up:_

_"Did you_ really _have to kiss him?" She asked her._

_Koriand'r attempted an innocent smile, but her eyes held an uncharacteristically mischievous glint to them. "Not really," she giggled lightly, "But it was certainly more enjoyable that way."_

_Not waiting for a reply, she took to the air and followed where the boys had gone just seconds before. Raven watched her retreating form with a slightly amused expression, one eyebrow raised. Something told her that things around the Tower were about to become much more interesting…._

*** * ***

* * *

~Present Day~

* * *

"Robin, are you injured?"

Starfire was at his side in an instant, the looming threat of both Kitten and Fang (the latter of whom was still unconscious) momentarily forgotten as she knelt down to help ease the boy into a sitting position. He was wincingly lightly in pain, one hand absently clutching his chest in the spot where Fang had been pinning him down moments prior.

A gasp escaped her lips when she noticed the thin trail of red already seeping through his shirt; no doubt caused by the claws scraping against his chest, sharp enough to cause the wound if not to actually rip the cloth.

"It's okay, Star," he managed a smile upon seeing the look of horror on her face, pulling his hand away to give her a better view of the wound. "See? Just a scratch?" It might have made more of a convincing argument had he not sharply sucked air through his teeth the instant he moved to stand.

"No, it is not okay!" Starfire insisted softly, her voice lightly quivering as she grabbed him by the arm, "You are bleeding and in pain."

"Really, I'm fi—"

"Robin."

Any further words of protest died on his lips at the tone of her voice, which itself came out in little more than a whisper. He looked down to see the Tamaranian girl staring back with those pools of emerald, now lightly rimmed with tears glistening under the moonlight. She was truly worried about him; granted, most likely more than necessary considering the situation, but Starfire always had a tendency to blow things out of proportion when it came to her emotions.

Heaving a sigh, Robin allowed her to pull him back down to a seating position as a sign of submission. She smiled gratefully, tilting her head to one side serenely and blinking the tears away. One managed to escape, trickling down her cheek as she reached out to gently stroke a few locks of his hair with gloved fingers.

*** * ***

"Fang!" Kitten quickly ran to her fallen ex with concern of her own. "Are you alright?"

The mutant boy sat up with a groan, rubbing his head where it had hit the wall. "I think so." He moved to get up, but no sooner was back on his human feet when Kitten sent a hard slap across the face, knocking him to the floor. "Hey! What was that for?" came a cry of protest, holding one hand to his now reddened, fuzzy cheek.

"That," Kitten spat out, hands on her hips and hovering over him with a glare, "was for standing me up on our date the other night."

"But, Baby! I can explain!" he whined like a small child, "See, they were only shipping for one night and—"

"Save it." She stuck her nose in the air and turned away from him, arms folded. "I have nothing more to say to you, Fang."

He tried getting her attention thrice more, each time being shunned entirely. Anger welled up inside him, and he focused it on the other young couple no more than twenty feet away. They seemed oblivious to their surroundings, focusing on nothing but each other, lost in a tender moment. The sight only enraged him further—why should that  _boy_ …

His eyes narrowed: "…YOU!" Nearly blinded by anger, he headed straight for them. In a flash, he had knocked the girl down and was holding Robin by the throat. "This is all  _your_ fault!"

"Robin!" Starfire cried out.

It was clear that, even on his human legs, Fang towered over the Boy Wonder in height. Using that to his advantage, he lifted him up until his legs danged helplessly in the air, hands grasping his throat in a desperate attempt for air.

Just before his head started spinning from lack of oxygen, Robin managed to kick away from his captor's hold, back-flipping into a fighting stance. He instinctively reached for his metallic retractable bo staff…only to remember seconds too late that he was still in a tuxedo, as opposed to his usual battle uniform.

"What's-a-matter, Bird Brain?" Fang sneered, "Did we leave our little toys at home this evening?" Robin's eyes narrowed further as the mutant arachnid lifted himself high into the air, his spider legs adding an intimidating seven or eight feet to his height, at least. Menacingly hovering over his prey.

The first series of blows were easily blockable, slapped away in a number of defensive strikes. But, as the seconds passed, Fang grew more hostile and began hitting harder. He was slow, but strong, and had gravity working to his advantage.

 _Left-right-right-right. Left-right. Left-left-left-right-left. Right-left-right…_  Robin was quick to notice a lack of rhythm in his moves, as if the boy was merely throwing random punches, something that could very well be used to his advantage.

Gradually, Fang was pushing him backwards with every blow. It wasn't long before the Boy Wonder felt the back of his right leg bump into one of the wooden chair legs. He paused in his steps; Fang noticed this at once, and his smirk widened at the thought of victory. Raising himself as high as possible, he prepared to administer the final blow…

…only to fall face-first into the table, his legs tangling in the cloth cover. At the last second, Robin had found an opening and slid out between his assailant's dangling human legs.

Chair went flying in various directions. The vase of flowers used as a decorative centerpiece tipped over, spilling water and flowers all over him. Fang struggled to get up, but only succeeded in knocking the crystal vase on top of his head. It shattered on impact, leaving the boy with a dazed expression.

From where she had been watching, Kitten smacked her forehead.

Using the brief pause, Robin made a quick dash, jumping on top of Fang's abnormal head and using it as a trampoline to catapult himself towards the ceiling. He reached for one of the low-flying horizontal poles, pulling a double flip in mid-air before landing smoothly in front of the nearest exit, which led to the upper deck.

Fang shook his head a few times, looking up at the precise moment Robin's figure disappeared up the stairway. With a low growl of mixed frustration and anger, he was on his feet and proceeded to follow his prey.

*** * ***

"Oh, isn't it romantic?" Kitten sighed dreamily, "They're fighting over me!"

"They are  _not_  fighting over you!" Starfire nearly screamed, fists clenched tightly at her sides. The blonde-haired girl shot her a look, as if just noticing she was there for the first time.

A smirk appeared on her face. "Honey," she turned to the alien girl, "You give new meaning to the phrase 'green-eyed monster'."

That was the final straw; screeching in anger, Starfire jumped forward and tackled the teenage girl, knocking them both down. All traces of her supposed  _boundless confidence_  were overwhelmed by rage, leaving them both as a surprisingly equal advantage in strength. A nearby collage poster of picture was immediately torn to shreds as they landed on top of it, breaking apart on impact. Each girl rolled in separate directions

Kitten was the first to rise to her knees, finding herself at the foot of a large desert table, as of yet untouched.

With a low moan, Starfire moved to stand when she noticed a pair of expensive pink heels standing before her. Eyes slowly traveling up…up…up, they met with those of a very smug Kitten looming over her. A large banana cream pie was balancing in her right hand. Taking the other hand off her waist, Kitten tauntingly traced one finger around the edge and licked the whipped cream that had accumulated on it. A hum of satisfaction escaped her lips, taunting the Tameranian girl.

Not once breaking eye contact, Kitten wordlessly motioned for her to stand. She did so at an almost excruciatingly slow pace; silence hovered over the room, every last straggler left hiding under table or in corners holding his or her breath as they anticipated what would happen. Neither girl so much as flinched as Starfire rose to her feet, squaring off with the other girl.

Then, without warning, Kitten shoved the pie right in the Tamaranian's face. The entire room let out a simultaneous gasp, more than one cowering in fear of what the female Titan would do in retaliation. For her part, Starfire remained absoltutely motionless, her face completely covered with the sweet filling.

Bit by bit, pieces of crust began to flake off…followed by drops of banana cream…until, finally, a pair of bright orbs appeared beneath the mess as narrow slits of emerald….

*** * ***

Robin ducked just in time to avoid getting his with another spray of paralyzing fluid, already wearing strings of web on his tuxedo jacket. Glancing over the edge, he winced upon noticing the blonde-haired boy on the main deck who was now frozen in place. A redhead wearing a simple, black dress ran to her friend's aid.

"Sorry about that!" he called down before narrowly dodging another attack, "Whoa!"

Where he had been only seconds before, there was now a giant crack in the ground caused by a fierce blow from one of Fang's legs. Another made a rapid lash at the boy, but Robin managed to catch it inches from his face, leaving Fang off-balance enough to throw him back.

Rolling his body partially backwards, Robin used his hands to push himself to a standing position. The mutant roared in frustration as he continued his advance. Once more, Robin found himself backing up as he slapped away sloppy attacks, this time until his feet hit the edge of the platform. He glanced downward, eyes coming to rest upon the pool down below…

_That's it!_

…before having to duck from another of Fang's web shooters. Quickly, he made a running dash for the nearby cable, unbuckling his belt along the way to use as a zip line. Fang followed, as suspected. Halfway down the line, however, Robin released his grip, dropping a few feet before his right hand grabbed one of the ship's smokestacks and used it to flip around, propelling himself into the air for a flying kick.

They both his the water's surface within seconds of each other. Robin was the first to come up for air, climbing out just as Fang resurfaced as well.

"I'm gonna get you for that!" Fang called out, gasping as he swam to the shallow end. His drooping fur made it too heavy for him to climb up the pool ladder. He tried spitting another shot of paralyzing fluid, but all that came out was little more than a dribble of mush that made him cough and sputter. "Hey, what gives?"

Robin rose to his feet, walking toward the boy with a smug grin. "Looks like your secret weapon's been watered-down."

"Aww, will you give it a rest with the bad puns already?" Fang muttered, spitting out another glob of web.

Robin was about to protest, when the sound of crashing and screaming—along with girls' screechings—drew both their attentions to the ballroom entrance in time to see Kitten and Starfire burst through the doorway, knocking it off its hinges, and literally at each other's throats. Even more surprising was the globs of food they seemed to be covered in. Starfire's face and upper part of her body, in particular, were entirely smeared with what looked like whipped cream.

As the two girl's hit the floor, each struggling to get the upper hand, Kitten landed on bottom and kicked the red-haired girl over her head. Starfire landed a few feet away, slide-crashing into a few foldable chairs. As she tried to untangle herself, Kitten made a run for her…only to get hit in the face with a chair leg.

"Ahh! My nose!" the blonde screeched, hands flying to her face. "You're gonna pay for that, you little witch!"

Starfire's only reply was a series of choice words in her native language.

Though unable to understand, her tone was enough to enrage Kitten into attempting another punch, this time falling on top of the refreshment table as Starfire stepped to the side, giving the girl a good toss along the way. But what she didn't expect was for Kitten to grab a handful of her dress, dragging both girls halfway across the long table, bringing much of the tablecloth with them until they came to a halt inches before the punch bowl.

*** * ***

The boy stared at the scene unraveling before them, unable to move.

Or blink.

Or even dare breathe loudly.

"I take back what I said the other night," Robin commented weakly, " _That_  is the scariest thing I have ever seen."

"Maybe it's that time of the mo—" Fang began, until Robin rapidly put a hand to his mouth to silence him, eyes glazed over in slight fear.

"Quiet! They might hear you!"

Fang's eyes widened slightly, and he nodded wordlessly in understanding. Robin cautiously pulled his hand back, and together the two turned back to the fight. There was a length pause between them, the only sounds being the occasional grunting and screeching coming from where the girls were engaged in a wrestling match on the refreshment table, until:

"…weren't we supposed to be battling?"

*** * ***

With a yip of frustration, Kitten grabbed a handful of the Tameranian's long, red hair, and held her under the large punch bowl. Starfire sputtered and squirmed roughly, hands flying wildly about as the seconds passed. Though she didn't require oxygen like humans did, being dipped in a bowl of fruity liquid with all sorts of food coloring and sugar (not to mention all the alcohol that burned her eyes) was not exactly the most comfortable thing around

As a last resort, she blindly wrapped her legs around the blonde and tossed her forward, straight into a large, three-layer chocolate cake that had been set up on the adjacent table. Pulling herself up, Starfire threw her head back instinctively, squeezing the punch out of her hair over the edge of the table she was kneeling on.

Landing facedown on the floor, Kitten slowly rose to her knees. Smears of fudge and chocolate frosting were all over her gown…and, as any girl knows, would instantly stain any outfit.

"You…ruined…my…" Abruptly standing up with a crazed look in her eye and controller in her hand, "…DRESS!" she pushed the button.

"No!" Robin cried out as he delivered the final punch, knocking Fang back several feet before the boy finally collapsed onto one of the smaller two-person tables. A series of brightly colored balloons were released into the night sky.

He ran to Starfire's side as she jumped off the table, the two Titans facing off a maniacally laughing Kitten. They could hear the muffled cries of surprise through Robin's communicator, though neither dared to reach for it in fear of what Kitten would do.

A knowing glance passed between the two, simultaneously nodding before Robin took off.

"And just  _where_  do you think you're going, Robbie-poo?" Kitten called out, momentarily darting her eyes away from the Tamaranian, "We haven't finished out date ye—hey!" She cried out as a starbolt hit her in the hand, knocking the controller from her clutches. It slid across the floor until stopped by the bottom of Robin's shoe.

The Boy Wonder gave an uncharacteristically smug grin, as if enjoying the moment more than he should have. "Consider yourself dumped."

Stomping his foot, the controller was smashed to pieces, leaving nothing but scrap metal and a few sparks.

Kitten's eyes widened: "NOOOOOOOOO!"

*** * ***

"Nobody dumps Kitten, you hear me? Nobody!" the blonde screeched as she was led into the police cruiser, struggling against the officer's hold. "You haven't seen the last of me, Robbie-poo! You, or your stupid little alien bitch of a girlfrie—ooh…" her eyelids fluttered mid-sentence as the sedative needle was pulled from her arm.

*** * ***

"So…no second date?"

Cyborg's smirk was met by a stern glare from the team leader. The rest of the Titans had caught up with him and Starfire within minutes of the controller's destruction, delivering a very pissed-off looking Killer Moth. Currently, they were all looking out from the main deck as the authorities tossed an unconscious Kitten into the van, Fang close behind.

"You know," Beast Boy spoke up from where he sat, legs dangling over the edge of the boat, "Now that nobody's making them all mutate-y," he motioned to the not-so-tiny larvae in his arms, lightly tickling its stomach, "These guys are kinda cute!"

"Don't even think about it," Raven gave him a warning look before shifting her sight to the left.

Robin was leaning back against the ship's railing, trying to look anywhere but at his fellow Titans. Absently, he continued to tug at the tie around his neck, wondering why he hadn't brought himself to simply removing the nuisance already. The bloodstain on his shirt had since dried, and he had smudges of dirt all over his clothes, which were almost as ruffed and unruly as his hair.

Starfire sat to his immediate right on the top rail, his cape wrapped loosely around her shoulders and trying to look as dignified as possible for someone who was wearing virtually everything on the dessert menu; her hair was soaked with punch, smeared with pieces of whipped cream, berries, and custard (among other things); the dress she wore wasn't in much better condition. She also reeked of alcohol, though showed no signs of intoxication.

The others had thought better than to ask.

As the last of the sirens faded away, Robin turned his focus to the young couple heading towards the walkway. It was the same blonde-haired boy from before and his girlfriend, who was gently trying to wheel him off the ramp with a small trolley with the help of a few remaining authority figures.

"Yeah, okay…" he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, "Sorry we kinda ruined your prom."

"Are you kidding?" the boy exclaimed with unparalleled enthusiasm, "This was the best prom ever! Even if I still can't move my legs!"

The girl chuckled softly, "Come on, Ron. Let's get you de-paralized."

"Yeah, that'll wear off." Robin called out as they left, laughing weakly.

Starfire hopped off the ship railing to come stand next to him, the two sharing a brief smile before the outdoor lights lowered. Dropping the cape, she instinctively shifted into a ready fighting stance that mirrored his as a booming voice came through the speakers.

" _And now, presenting this year's Prom King and Queen…_ "

They eased up, realizing it was just the DJ.

" _…Robin and Starfire!_ "

A moment of silence passed after the drum roll came to a climatic, symbol-crashing finale. Trying to ignore the snickering coming suspiciously from Beast Boy and Cyborg's general vicinity, both faces turned an interesting shade of red. Looks of surprise and slight awkwardness washed over their faces.

Robin finally turned to face his counterpart, a boyish grin appearing on his face as he extended a hand: "I guess one more dance wouldn't hurt."

The moment Starfire placed her hand in his, a strangely familiar black light washed over the two of them. It faded almost as instantly as it appeared, however, leaving the two with the realization that their clothes and hair were now sparkling clean. All evidence of the past hour had been washed away completely, as if it had never happened.

As if by magic.

Simultaneously, the couple turned to stare at Raven. The lavender-haired girl easily met their gaze without flinching, arms crossed and eyebrow raised:

"…what?"


	5. Chapter 5

"There's just one thing that still bothers me," Robin began as the student body president stood on her toes to place the aluminum crown (spray painted gold, of course) on his head, "How can we be the King and Queen of  _your_  prom when we don't even go to this school?"

From behind his booth, the DJ shrugged nonchalantly. "What can I say, kid? Democracy at its finest."

"…and I sure didn't stuff the ballot box, if that's what you're thinking. No, sir!" A rich tenor called out from behind, such a tone as Robin wasn't quite sure it he was serious or joking. Simultaneously, he and Starfire spun around to see a red-haired young man walk towards them. He wore a grin on his face and winked at the Tameranian girl as he held out the silver tiara for her own crowning.

"Roy!" Her smile widened upon recognizing him.

"Who?" Robin blinked, then took a good look at the boy. "Haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

"Eh, who's to say?" Roy commented a little too quickly. "It's a big city, you know. And what, with you guys always running around saving the day and all…" he trailed off, shrugging his shoulders. Quick to change the subject, he stepped forward and placed the tiara on Starfire's head. "Congratulations, princess." He whispered in her ear, giving the Tameranian girl a friendly kiss on the cheek.

Robin's smile suddenly looked a bit more forced.

The lights above dimmed low as Roy stepped back to join the rest of the kids in a round of applause. A few spotlights shone from the ceiling. " _And now,_ " the speakers crackled to life once more, " _your King and Queen will lead off in a traditional spotlight dance._ "

Soft music permeated the air in a melody of piano and percussion. Robin turned to the girl beside him with one hand extended, "You heard the man…" But his smile quickly melted into a faint look of concern when he noticed Starfire's uncharacteristically distant expression. "Something wrong?"

"Hmm?" His voice seemed to snap her back to reality. Shaking her head, she plastered a grin on her face and replied, "Nothing is wrong. Everything is…wonderful…"

He raised an amused eyebrow. "Where have I heard that one before?"

In spite of herself, Starfire couldn't help a genuine smile from appearing on her face at the memory, allowing the boy to gently leader her out onto the wooden dance floor.

 _What if I never knew?_  
What if I never found you?  
I'd never have this feeling in my heart

Robin noticed out of the corner of his eye the Tameranian dart her sight around the room, as if noticing for the first time the increasing number of people that had begun to form around them. One hand went to her lips in apparent nervousness, subconsciously pulling herself closer to him. Shaking his head with a smile, he chalked it up to her (at times) childlike nature.

 _How did this come to be?_  
I don't know how you found me  
But from the moment I saw you, deep inside my heart I knew…

"Just ignore them, okay?" He whispered so only she could hear. "Pretend it's just the two of us."

Starfire hesitated for a moment before nodding, though she didn't seem to be at any greater ease than before. Placing her hands loosely on his shoulders, she quickly melted into his embrace.

As members of the Teen Titans, every last pair of eyes would be on them. Maintaining appearances for the moment was most important, if nothing else but for Robin's sake, and she knew that fact well. The mere fact that Robin was with her helped some; the warmth from his touch provided a welcome sense of comfort.

 _Baby, you're my destiny_  
You and I were meant to be  
With all my heart and soul  
I give my love to have and hold  
And as far as I can see  
You were always meant to be  
My destiny

Only half-listening to the music, the two gently swayed back and forth to the beat. Robin noticed the Tameranian grow more and more distant with every passing moment. He knew her well enough to know the smile on her face was completely fake. It wasn't the crowd that bothered her, he quickly realized. Something else was on her mind.

 _I wanted someone like you_  
Someone that I could hold onto  
And give my love until the end of time

_But forever was just a word (Just a word)_

Twenty years into the future, Starfire returned after disappearing for two decades. Cyborg had been holed up in the Tower in complete disrepair. Beast Boy had locked himself in a cage to perform for ungrateful brats who threw things at him. Raven had lost all traces of her sanity and locked herself in a psychiatric ward. And Robin…

_Something I'd only heard about_

Memories of Nightwing seeped into her train of thought as Starfire related to the song's lyrics, and she lightly shook her head in a desperate attempt to rid herself of them. They had already changed the future with her retrieval of the Clock of Eternity. She wasn't missing from the time stream. The future would not turn out as depressing as she had seen.

After all…Robin had promised her.

_But now you're always there for me  
When you say forever, I'll believe_

No longer in the spotlight, the two found themselves suddenly lost in a sea of couples as several other teenagers made their way to the dance floor. Robin could easily see, in spite of the darkness, that the normally bright and cheerful girl before him had given up all attempts at trying to appear happy now that she was certain nobody was looking anymore.

"Hey, Star," he whispered softly. "You okay?"

Fully expecting her to attempt to deny it further, Robin was slightly caught off-guard when she shook her head sadly before burying it into his shoulder, arms wrapped tightly around his neck. The Boy Wonder found himself at a complete loss for words, opting to remain silent and hold the girl tightly.

 _Maybe all we need is just a little faith_  
'Cause baby, I believe that love will find a way  
Hey…

They remained in that position until the last notes faded into the night air.

 _Baby, you're my destiny_  
You and I were meant to be  
With all my heart and soul  
I give my love to have and hold  
And as far as I can see  
(From now until eternity)  
You were always meant to be  
My destiny

*** * ***

* * *

~1 Year Ago~

* * *

_The rain sprinkled over Titan Tower in a pleasant summer shower, a welcome gift from Mother Nature after the blistering heat of day with temperatures passing 90 degrees by noon. Droplets of water trailed down the Tameranian's face as she stood silently on the rooftop, eyes unblinkingly turned towards the heavens. SO lost in her thoughts, she barely noticed the stairway door open behind her. In fact, it wasn't until she found herself suddenly shielded from the downpour that Koriand'r even realized Robin was standing next to her, holding an umbrella over them both._

_Yet still, her focused remained upwards at the starless sky._

_"Something on your mind?" He asked, voice just barely carrying over the gentle_ pitter-patter _of rain against the plastic material. When she hardly even acknowledged his presence, he tried again: "Kori?"_

_"Robin, why can I not see the stars?"_

_Her sudden question caught him off-guard. "What?"_

_"The stars. Why are they not visible?" For the first time, she turned to face him. "It is dark outside, and the sun has long since sunk beneath the horizon, and yet I am unable to view them. Where did they go?" Were it not for the faint quiver in her voice, Robin would never have thought to look more closely. But sure enough, he was quick to notice the tears trailing down her cheeks, almost invisible in the rainwater._

_"I-it's okay," He insisted, not entirely sure how to deal with crying girls. Especially ones who could blast him all the way back to Gotham City if he wasn't careful. "They're just hidden behind the clouds, is all." A hand rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly, awkward at both her approach to such a seemingly trivial thing and his own lame explanation._

_"I do not like these 'clouds.' Make them vanish, please."_

_Koriand'r was beginning to shiver; whether from nostalgia or her damp clothing, Robin wasn't sure. Balancing the umbrella in one hand, he shrugged off the cape around his shoulders and lightly placed it on hers. She accepted the gift with a weak smile, pulling the fabric close as she continued to stare upwards._

_Neither of them had mentioned it since, but her "absorption" of the English language (a memory that stil brought a rush of blood to Boy Wonder's cheeks) had not gone as well as she had hoped. It had been explained roughly afterwards that there were several possibilities why: she was still young in Tameranian years…it had been her first time attempting such a transaction…_

_Yet no matter how much she insisted otherwise, Robin could tell that it still bothered her. Koriand'r had gained a fair knowledge of the language; that was true. She even spoke with more proper grammar than Miss Manners. The difficulty came in the interpretation of what she or someone around her was saying. Many popular sayings and slag phrases went right over her head if not implied in their most literal form._

_Those past few days had been even more difficult for her than her time as a voluntary mute._

_After a time, Robin put the umbrella down and stepped forward. "Listen, Ko—"_

_"I am sorry," she spoke suddenly, interrupting him mid-sentence._

_"Sorry?" He paused to blink. "For what?"_

_Koriand'r turned to face him with a sad smile, face and hair thoroughly soaked from the rainwater. "I am sorry for causing you so much misfortune. You have been wonderful in assisting me, and I have taken up so much of your valued time." She pulled the cape tighter around her shoulders; subconsciously, Robin rubbed her forearms in an effort to help warm her up. "If you with to return to your previous duties, I…promise to no longer be such a burden upon you."_

_"Nonsense." He smiled before realizing what he was doing and pulled back with a light blush. "You've never been a burden."_

_"Do not lie to me, Robin." A mixture of frustration and anger splashed across her face. "I may be unfamiliar with much of your ways, but I am not blind. DO you not think I see the looks people give me on the street? How uncomfortable the other feel in being in the same room with me? That nobody but yourself will even attempt to speak to me?" Overwhelmed by emotions, she stepped forward and buried her head in his shoulders._

_Not sure of what else to do, Robin gently wrapped his arms around the sobbing girl. "Koriand'r, I…"_

_"Even my name has caused nothing but trouble," she murmured into his shirt, "No one else can so much as pronounce it properly."_

_They remained like that for several moments, silence save for the girl's quiet sobbing. In that time, the rainfall slowed to a light mist and the clouds began migrating south. Though thoroughly soaked at that point, neither moved to head inside the Tower. It wasn't even until the first stars reappeared in the night sky that Robin made the first move, pulling her away to meet her gaze._

_"Tell you what," he began with a trademark smirk, "Why don't we come up with a team name for you? Something that everybody'll remember."_

_She game him a curious look. "What do you mean?"_

_"Well…Cyborg and Beast Boy have other names they were given at birth, even though we call them by codenames. As far as we know, Raven is…well…Raven." He shrugged. "She never told us otherwise."_

_"And what about you?" He hesitated, as if reluctant to tell her such vital information. Not even the others knew his birth name. But the hopeful look in her eyes won him over almost immediately. Leaning forward, he whispered something in her ear. She smiled softly. "I like it."_

_"You're an important part of this team now, and don't you forget it." Robin insisted. "Someone with a true sense of morality and justice, the courage to fight for what you believe it, yet a smile and love of life that outshines the fire of the stars themselves."_

_"Fire of the stars…" She repeated absently, before looking upwards with a grin. "Star…fire…"_

*** * ***

* * *

~Present Day~

* * *

"…you guys can stop laughing now."

Robin's statement might have made more of an impact if he hadn't still been wearing the gold-painted tin crown on his head, which tiled to one side in an attempt to fit over his spiky hair. His face was twisted into a combination of frustration and embarrassment, cheeks burning red as he tried to look as menacing as possible. Arms folded and glaring behind the mask, he tapped his foot in hopes of getting Cyborg and Beast Boy to stop laughing. Or at least get up off the floor.

Minutes later, they were still rolling around in a fit of hysterics.

Heaving a sigh of defeat, Robin shot a helpless glance towards Raven. Aside from what could easily be interpreted as her attempting to hold back laughter, her eyes showed a slight amount of sympathy. Well, she was no help. He glanced around the room, suddenly noticing the lack of their fifth team member.

"Hey, anybody seen Starfire?" He called out to no one in particular.

Beast Boy, who had graduated to a sitting position by then, stood up straight if only to give a mocking bow. "Thy Lady hath ventured yonder," he managed through his snickering, "to thy peak of thy castle tower, Your Royal Highness." This was quickly followed by another bout of laughter from both him and Cyborg.

"…what?"

"She's on the roof." Raven translated, closing her book and chucking it at the changeling in frustration. It flew through the air before making contact with his skull.

" _YEOW!_ " The boy cried out, holding his head where a large bump was already forming nicely. He sat up and glared at his attacker. "Raven, that thing was a hardcover!"

"Well, then, I guess that would explain the echoing  _thud_  we just heard, wouldn't it?"

Resisting the urge to laugh, Robin shook his head at the two as he slipped out of the room, leaving them to their bickering. The arguments never lasted long, since Raven still deemed such confrontation far too childish for her liking, but Beast Boy's influence on her was becoming clearer and clearer with each passing argument. Especially when she had started cracking jokes.

A quick stop at his room to chuck the crown inside, and Robin headed up the stairway that led to the Titans Tower roof. Truth be told, he wasn't the least bit surprised at Starfire's choice of location. If anything, he was concerned; experience taught him that it was a place of solitude for her to retreat to when something troubled her. The last time he found her up there, she had been mulling over his brief entrapment by Slade, forced to fight in opposition to his team. To that very day, he couldn't shake the image of her hovering inches before him, eyes lowered and voice softly telling him that she would sooner have him kill her than face him in battle. The thought alone sent a bone-chilling shiver down his spine; he could only imagine what it did to her.

The door creaked open to reveal Starfire in her usual sunset-viewing position, seated upon of the raised edges of the roof as her eyes searched the heavens. From where the Boy Wonder stood, her expression was unreadable…though he could see the glimmer of silver in her lap she clutched with both hands. She still had on her sparkling maroon dress.

*** * ***

_Congratulations, Princess._

It was silly, Starfire told herself, to be untroubled by such an innocent compliment. She knew that Roy had no previous knowledge of her life on Tameran, let alone her royal heritage. She also knew that "princess" was a common nickname to give friends of the female persuasion, and a flattering one at that. Yet the sound of somebody referring to her in such a way still brought back memories she wasn't quite ready to face. Only recently had she even been able to confide in Robin of the horrors of her past.

"Starfire?" She vaguely heard Robin come up the stairs and call her name. "Star?" Walking forward until he was nearly beside her, he tried once more, gentler than before: "…Kori?"

Robin could have sworn, in that moment, there was a faint twinkle in the Tameranian's eyes at the sound of her true name; it had been so long since anybody had called her by it.

"Robin," she whispered softly, almost child-like "Show me again where Tameran is. Please." Not once did she turn to look at him, her eyes busy observing the stars.

He nodded wordlessly and came up from behind her. Leaning forward, he matched his line of sight as closely as possible with hers, chin practically resting upon her shoulder. "Look for the three stars I pointed out to you last time…see them?" One finger extended forward to draw a series of invisible lines in the air. Starfire nodded wordlessly, urging him to continue. "That's what is known as the  _Summer Triangle_. The two bottom stars are called  _Deneb_  and  _Altair_. Now, look above them towards a bright, blue-tinted star…"

"Vega," she murmured, recognizing her planet's sun.

Robin glanced at her out of the corner of his mask before standing upright. "Feeling homesick?"

"Lately, I have been wondering what 'home' really is," was her reply. "Is it the place where one is born? The place they grew up? Live?"

He remained silent throughout the girl's musings. In spite of her naivety about many things, it was moments like these that reminded him of just how clever and insightful the alien girl really was. She had, after all, figured him out long before any of the others. Knew him better than anyone…at times, even he.

"So, what do you consider home?" He finally asked. "Where's your place?"

Starfire closed her eyes for a moment, lowering her head. When she finally opened them, a serene smile tugged at her lips as she finally turned to look at him. "My place…is with you."

Desperately trying to keep the blood from flushing to his cheeks, Robin gave her a warm smile and extended a gentlemanly hand, helping her down even though she didn't really need the assistance. The couple wordlessly headed towards the entrance to the stairway, when Starfire suddenly paused in her steps. Robin turned back to see her absently glancing around with a look of remembrance.

He smiled, knowing what was on her mind. "It's been almost a year, hasn't it?"

"It has," she agreed before lifting her eyes. "I realize now that I have never properly thanked you, Robin."

"For what?"

"For everything," he felt her hand grip his tighter, shaking in the slightest, "I have apologized far more times than can be remembered, but not once have I expressed words of gratitude."

"You don't need to, Kori," he insisted, once more using her birth name. "If anything, I should be the one thanking you. You've been there for me this past year through everything. Trusted me even when I didn't return the favor…" he trailed off

"Robin…"

"You know," he interrupted. She could almost swear his voice cracked, "Coming face to face with you that night, weapons raised…that was one of the hardest things I've ever had to handle. It kills me that Slade was able to turn us against each other like that."

Starfire reached out with her free hand, pushing back locks of hair that had strewn across his forehead. "He did not entirely, remember? I could never truly fire upon you, Robin, and you would never fire upon me." She smiled. "Such misfortunes only strengthen the bond of friendship, as we believe on Tameran. And I thank  _X'Hal_  for ours every day."

Leaning slightly downward (it never ceased to amuse her that she stood an inch or so taller than he), she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. Robin could no longer fight the inevitable blush from rising to his entire face as she pulled back. Neither seemed to be able to move from that spot as their eyes met, somewhere between comfort and nervousness. Then, much slower than before, she leaned in again. This time, he met her halfway as their lips gently brushed against one another. Placing his hands on her hips, Robin pulled her closer to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

The kiss slowly grew in both depth and passion, all previous thoughts forgotten as they finally gave into the sensation both had unknowingly been denied for so long.

*** * ***

A couple floors down, Raven was meditating in her room inches above her bedspread. Beast Boy's attention had quickly switched from their own argument to one with Cyborg over something about what constituted a proper dessert, neither choices of which had appealed much to her anyway. Desperate for some peace and quiet, their incessant arguing had finally driven the Goth into retreating back into her quarters.

It was about five or ten minutes later that she first began to sense it: a subtle chill that ran up and down her spine, and rapidly grew in intensity. Without a word, she merely peeked one eye open and glanced upward, as if expecting the ceiling to offer an explanation. A rare smile tugged at her lips before returning to her meditation as if nothing happened, her only acknowledgement in the form of three simple words:

"It's about time."

 

 

**THE END**


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